10 March 2016

Novels to come out of Curtis Brown Creative: #9 The Ship by Antonia Honeywell

by Eli Keren
From Our Students

Antonia Honeywell, whose debut novel The Ship is launched in paperback today, took one of our creative writing courses back in Spring 2011. This group holds a special place in our hearts, because not only was it the very first novel-writing course that we offered, but it has also launched (yes, I’m going to keep saying ‘launched’) not one but four authors’ careers. The Well, by Antonia’s contemporary Catherine Chanter, launched (I’m not sorry) in 2013 and went on to win the 2013 Lucy Cavendish Prize for Unpublished Fiction. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton launched (still not sorry) in 2014 and was a New York Times bestseller, and White Petals by Maria Grace set sail (didn’t expect that, did you?) in 2015. The hardback edition of The Ship hit the waves in February 2015 to immediate success. It was chosen as one of The Independent’s best young-adult fiction books of 2015, featured in the March 2015 issue of Elle Magazine, and was selected as Prima Magazine’s Book Group Choice for February 2015. Antonia was also selected as one of Amazon’s Rising Stars of 2015.

Lalla grew up while the world crumbled around her. At the age of seven, the chaos hit Britain and took with it the banks, the power and the law. Food is scarce. Luxuries are forgotten. Those unable to show their identity cards are shot. Now, at the age of sixteen, Lalla’s visionary father is no longer able to shelter her from the chaos of the post-apocalyptic landscape they have found themselves in. Lalla and her family leave the land behind and begin their journey to salvation aboard the ship.

On board, days come and go without variation. The ship has food, resources and, most importantly, people – 500 of them – a plenty that Lalla has never known. But life on the ship offers Lalla a set of new challenges that she had been unable to consider in her overly sheltered existence prior to setting sail. Lalla grows uneasy. Where are they going? What does her father really want? What is the price of their salvation?

The Ship is modern dystopian fiction at its finest: familiar and alien, engaging and unsettling. Seen through the eyes of a naive sixteen-year-old girl, The Ship delivers tension layered with childlike charm and a tightly-packed plot with enough twists to keep you on your toes. And, from today, it’s out in paperback.

For an in-depth course as part of a group of 15 (in which students are selected on the basis of their submission) with a great tutor and participation from our literary agents, apply for:

For a dedicated online course for those writing for young adults or children as part of a group of 15 (in which students are selected on the basis of their submission), with a top children’s author, apply for: